As Britain celebrates its own anniversary of the abolition of slavery, the Franche-Comté region, usually frequented for its food, fresh air and family holiday options, remembers its own pioneers in a dedicated “slavery route”.    The route includes The Black Heritage House in Champagney-Haute-Saône and the Château De Joux Toussaint Louverture near Pontarlier.  The route has become a “must” for visitors selecting from the many cultural and heritage attractions available for excursions in the region.

The Black Heritage House’s location in Champagney commemorates the first protest against slavery by the town’s residents, an appeal made directly to King Louis XVI on the 19th March 1789.  The exhibits in the house document the slavery and the town’s part in the struggle for its abolition, providing a moving insight into Champagney’s cultural heritage.

The Chateau de Joux pays tribute to Toussaint Louverture, the former slave from Santo Domingo who is widely recognised as the first black symbol of the struggle against slavery, and as the Father of the first Black Republic of Haiti. The castle, nestled high in the Jura Mountains, served as Louverture’s prison.  Today visitors can tour the imposing monument and learn more about the man who became a leading figure in the route to emancipation.

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The official “slavery route” also includes sites in the Rhineland. The Schoelcher Museum and the Maison Abbé Grégoire document key moments in the road to abolition.

The Franche-Comté region offers visitors a wealth of cultural and historical attractions, and is easily accessible by train and plane from the UK.